11:45 a.m. -- It's a special edition of LIVE FROM..... today, as we are live at Wake Forest University's BB&T Field for coverage of today's Senior Day ACC Atlantic Division matchup between the Florida State Seminoles and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.Both teams need to win to keep their dim postseason hopes alive going down the stretch in the regular season. Following the injury last week to quarterback Christian Ponder, the Seminoles will rely on E.J. Manuel as signal-caller in his first collegiate start.
Wake lost an overtime heartbreaker to Avery County native Paul Johnson and his Georgia Tech squad 30-27 last week and hopes to take some frustration out on the 'Noles this afternoon.
Added intrigue to today's game is the job status of legendary Seminoles head football coach Bobby Bowden. The icon has roamed the FSU sideline since 1976, and rumors have swirled that this may very well be his last season as head coach, hence his final trip to North Carolina as head coach.
We'll be bringing periodic updates throughout the afternoon here on the Blog! Thanks for reading! Below is a brief video of Jamie interrupting Matt Laws' pregame meal to offer a quick preview of today's contest.
Update #1: The teams are preparing to come out onto the field. Wake Forest wins the coin toss and defers. FSU will receive the opening kickoff as we prepare to get underway from Winston-Salem!
Update #2: Florida State strikes first, utilizing a strong running game and a short pass attack to compile an 81-yard drive that consumed 12 plays in 5:36 of clock time. Ty Jones rushes 9 yards for a touchdown to stake FSU the early 7-0 advantage with 9:24 left in the first period. Wake will look to knot it up on its next series.
Update #3: Wake Forest answer
s the Florida State score with its own long touchdown-scoring drive. Wake took 6:41 off the clock to drive 70 yards over 13 plays. QB Riley Skinner kept the drive alive with a great duck of a FSU rusher on third down and scrambled for a first down. A short time later the Deacons decided to go for it on fourth and 1 from the FSU 3, and Josh Adams rambled in off an option pitch right, crossing the ball over the plane of the goal line. The Jimmy Newman PAT was good, and the score is tied at 7-7 with 2:43 left in the first period.Update #4: Florida State is deep in WFU territory with its second offensive series of the game. A big third down pitch and catch from Manuel to #80 Jarmon Fortson covers 30 yards to the WFU 6. On the next play, halfback Jermaine Thomas runs it in off the left si
de from six yards out to help FSU regain the lead. The 6 play, 68-yard scoring drive takes only 2:24 off the clock, and the Seminoles lead it 14-7 with 0:19 left in the first quarter. Wake runs one final play to close out the quarter on offense before time expires. One quarter in the books and FSU leads 14-7!Update #5: Wake QB Riley Skinner is picked off by Florida State, who returns it back to the WFU 27. Great chance for the Seminoles to pad their lead. FSU capitalizes as Manuel and Fortson connect on a 23-yd pass play to set up first and goal at the Wake 1. EJ Manuel dives over the pile for a one-yard touchdown run. 12:48 remains in the quarter, and the Seminoles have upped the advantage to 21-7.
Update #6: Wake drives to the FSU 41, but its drive stalls and the Demon Deacons have to punt. The kick pins Florida State at its own 4-yard line. 10:17 to go in the half and the Seminoles still lead it 21-7.
Update #7. FSU drives 10 plays and 68 yards over 5:25. The drive stalls, but a 47 yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins further adds to the Seminole lead as FSU now leads 24-7.
Update #8: Wake is held to a three-and-out and punt the football away. The ball is caught at the 32-yard line by FSU's Greg Reid, who totes it 68 yards through the Wake special teams for a touchdown. FSU leads it big 31-7 with 3:40 left before halftime.
Update #9: Josh Adams caps a much-needed touchdown drive for the Demon Deacons with a 20-yard TD run to cap a 5-play, 79-yard scoring drive. The PAT is good and Wake now trails 31-14 with 2:12 to play in the second quarter.
Update #10: FSU's short passing game is a thing of beauty in this half. A slip screen to Bert Reed gains around 40 yards up to the Wake 10-yard line as the clock ticks down to 35 seconds to play in the half. EJ Manuel's pass play on second and goal was intercepted by Kyle Quarrels at the tw0-yard line. Quarrles had his bell rung on the return and was down on the field for a short time. Wake turns Florida State away with 0:07 left in the half. Wake takes a knee to close the half. Temperatures rose a bit on both sides after that last vicious hit, but the Seminoles lead it nonetheless 31-14 at halftime.
The 31 first-half points are the most that FSU has scored in a half against Wake Forest since 42 in teh 2001 game in Tallahassee, and the most in Winston-Salem since hanging 42 on the Demon Deacons at the half in 1994. The 31 is the most this season since a 35 point first-half effort against Georgia Tech.
Update #11: Wake's first drive of the third quarter consumes, but stalls as the Deacons boot an eight-yard punt to the FSU 29. 10:17 left in the third quarter and the Seminoles still lead it by 17. The Deacon defense makes its best stand of the game so far as FSU is forced to punt.
Update #12: WFU marches 79 yards over four plays and get on the scoreboard with a 13 yard touchdown run by Kevin Harris, set up by a 48-yard scamper by Brandon Pendergrass. Wake Forest has narrowed the margin to 31-21 with
6:57 left in the third quarter.Update #13: FSU hits the upright on a 42-yard field goal attempt by Hopkins and it ricochets in to complete a 6-play, 43-yard drive that consumed 2:56. Lights are on in the stadium as shadows begin to encapsulate the playing field. FSU boosts its lead back to 13 points at 34-21 with 4:01 to play in the third quarter.
Update #14: Wake is stopped inside its own territory and punts the ball back to FSU. The Seminoles run for a first down to close out the final seconds of the third period of play. One quarter left to go from BB&T Field and and Florida State leads Wake Forest 34-21.
Update #15: FSU appears to have taken control as a 7-yard pass from Manuel to Fortson adds to the Seminole lead. The PAT caps the 10 play, 79 yard drive that elapsed 4:41 off the clock. 11:04 remains in the game and Wake Forest trails Florida State 41-21. Florida State has looked strong today offensively. Wake has also looked good at times, but with the exception of a couple of possessions, FSU has executed its game plan very well today in Winston-Salem.
Update #16: Wake Forest refuses to fold as it drives 59 yards to the 1-yard line, but s Skinner pass in intercepted by Florida State in the end zone to stall the drive. The visitors stands are rocking with the Tomahawk Chop as Florida State gets the ball at its own 20-yard line. 41-21 Wake Forest trails with 7:57 left to play.
Update #17: Wake puts together another scoring drive after FSU had to punt the ball away. A pass from Skinner to Chris Givens that covers 4 yards caps a 9 play, 79 yard scoring drive that took 2:37 off the clock. Exactly 3:01 remains to play and the Demon Deacons have narrowed its deficit to 41-28.
FSU recovers the onside kick, forces Wake to burn all its timeouts, and gets a first down before running out the clock. Florida State wins it 41-28.
Wake Forest falls to 4-7 on the season, while Florida State improves to an even 5-5 on the
year. The Seminoles can become bowl eligible with a win against Maryland next week or against #1 Florida in two weeks in Gainesville.Thanks for reading the Blog! We'll be posting photos in the next while. Thanks again to the gracious staff at BB&T Field for their hospitality. Our next Live Blogcast will likely be ASU basketball, and you're invited to follow along with us then!
